The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording device, and more particularly to a thermal transfer recording device which carries out color printing on record paper using a multi-color ink sheet in the form of a roll.
A thermal transfer recording device has been developed wherein, using an ink sheet in the form of a roll to which inks of different colors are applied successively at different portions of a face thereof, the inks of the different colors are transferred successively in an overlapping relationship to the same location on record paper by means of a heat sensitive line head to obtain a color print. A thermal transfer recording device of the type mentioned wherein a capstan of a rigid body is driven forwardly/backwardly to feed/return record paper in order to prevent displacement in print position between different color inks or bending of the record paper upon printing is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-38181. According to this prior art, color displacement of a print is prevented and the record paper is fed back without being bent and, accordingly, a color print of a high quality can be obtained.
In the prior art described above, it is necessary to always keep record paper in tension by a capstan and a pinch roller which are located on the opposite side of a supply source of the record paper with respect to a platen roller. Consequently, a print disabled portion normally of 30 mm to 40 mm or so is produced at an end of the record paper between the platen roller and the capstan, and after printing is completed and the record paper is discharged, the print disabled portion must be cut and removed.